Opinion

Nigeria And High Sea Piracy

Published

12 years ago

March 24, 2014

On January 29th, 2014, PSV Cee Jay liner was
attacked by pirates and boarded off the coast of Bayelsa State. The pirates kidnapped the master and chief engineer and robbed the crew. The next day, the Tug Lamnalco Hawk was attacked and boarded by 3 pirates in Pennington Terminal area of the same Bayelsa State.
2014 is continuing a harrowing trend that has won Nigeria a top position in the global high sea piracy charts. As Nigeria achieves greater ‘successes’ in events of boat capture and robbery, global levels have recorded appreciated drops. The total events of piracy according to the International Maritime Bureau were 264 in 2014 compared to 297 in 2012 and 439 in 2011. But events off West Africa’s coast are increasing.
Of the 51 events in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria had 31 last year, overtaking Somalia on the east of the continent, which had only 15 episodes of piracy that same year. Reports have it that Nigerian pirates are even involved in cases far out from its bay, across Togo, Gabon and all the way up to Ivory Coast, making the registered total Nigerian events lower than actual.
Though Indonesia had the greatest total number of events, these were low level opportunistic thefts. Africa’s shores recorded the most dangerous high level incidents of piracy globally, with Nigeria topping the list.
Nigeria’s Joint Task Force (JTF), is reported to have increased efforts to stem increases in these terror events off Nigeria’s shores; however a lack of proper redress for criminals and a culture of impunity for successful thieves, makes the impact of its effort to combat this new vocation of the nation’s southern states questionable.
An extensive report on oil theft in the Niger Delta in October last year, by the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), indicted the very JTF and maritime police in aiding and abetting these criminal activities; actually levying taxes and receiving payments to protect and oversee the activities of the hoodlums.
An amnesty programme which invested billions of naira in countries overseas in rehabilitating and training Niger Delta MEND militants has not recorded appreciable success because after the training received, many youth cannot secure meaningful employment as the environment simply does not have options and investing in job creation is not a priority of this government. A ‘rehabilitated’ ex-militant terrorist told his friend to come join him in the kidnapping business, convincing him that it was seriously lucrative.
Critics of the amnesty project have stated that as the project which was initiated by late President Umaru Yar’Adua progressed, more money should have been invested locally in constructing the training schools and accommodation facilities, so as to keep the money within the economy and build long lasting infrastructure and opportunity for employment.
Rehabilitated terrorists are now actively engaged in either high sea piracy, oil bunkering or kidnapping of affluent locals and visitors. Even the nation’s president’s adopted father was recently kidnapped in their village by these confident terrorists, and a ransom of N500 million was allegedly demanded… which may likely be paid, as is typical, thus cementing this new found vocation.
A problem Nigeria is credited with that discourages global business and investment, especially in its fourth republic and under the current administration is tolerance of crime of the wealthy. Once a kidnapper or pirate acquires an appreciable wealth status, he gains complete impunity and he and his gang are freed by the government regardless of their crimes. In contrast, petty thieves remain imprisoned, sometimes for years without trial.
It has been noted that in the case of northeastern terrorism, terror suspects who have been found guilty of mass murders are sentenced to life imprisonment, whereas armed robbers are given the death sentence. This sympathy for terrorists and their affluent sponsors by the government is a challenge to serious efforts at combating high caliber crime.
High profile pirates, MEND or Boko Haram terrorists are only caught and incarcerated abroad, in South Africa, Togo, and Cameroon. And even in these cases, the Nigerian government battles to secure their release or transfer to Nigerian custody, only to pardon and free them as soon as they get home.
As the Jonathan administration grapples with these serious security crises in the north, south, middle belt and off its coast, the notably weak government is getting increasingly overwhelmed and without adjusting its posture to one of strength and forging and supporting alliances with communities to participate in security of the nation, things are projected to get worse. The first recorded hijacking of an oil vessel was in December 2010 and it involved the MT Velle di Cordoba, since then pirates have hijacked oil tankers serially, making anywhere between $5-10 million a month from hijacked tankers. The increasing dangers of coastal villains are also taking a toll on the land and sea and not only vessels and their crew. Oil spillage is having an irreversible deadly impact on Nigeria’s coasts. Shell claims that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s oil spills are due to the activities of thieves and saboteurs.
The civilian JTF was a local effort in Nigeria’s northeast which arose out of necessity and has done much toward quelling Boko Haram crises, most especially in the state capital city; however, the government has not shown much commitment and done much toward patronizing and assisting these critically needed civilian efforts. Surprisingly, the administration was eager to give a lucrative amnesty to Boko Haram terrorists, going as far as negotiating with some in jails, but has not yet decided to similarly award and assist the brave civilian youth who combat them. If civilian JTF type efforts are duplicated in other prone areas and there is a commitment by the government to protect and honestly sponsor and support these efforts, it may help in decreasing the rate of high caliber terror Nigeria is gaining a global reputation for, while reducing the burden on the nation’s security services. This, however, is sadly not anticipated as this will cost money and the government officials are noted to love keeping the entire nation’s money for themselves.
As the center gets increasingly overwhelmed and fails to hold, many clamor for greater regional autonomy, including state police to be responsible for the security in their regions. This may also be worth seriously considering and will stave off blaming and relying on Abuja for all problems of insecurity.
Dr Brimah is a social commentator.
Peregrino Brimah

Opinion

Agony In Ivory Tower

Published

4 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: A university that tolerates missing scripts, result manipulation and ‘sorting’ is not merely failing students—it is quietly destroying the moral foundation of education itself.”

The sad cases of missing scripts, compulsory Sorting, inputting of wrong results and other obnoxious practices in some public universities, leave much to be desired. One cannot imagine how a student will be compelled to suffer consequences of the flagrant negligence of a Head of Department, a lecturer, Department staff or an ICT staff.Many academic and non academic staff in several public universities seem to be performing far below standard, thus unproductive to the university system. The unacceptable cases of sorting, missing scripts, missing results, inputting of wrong grades to students, should not be mentioned in a university, not even in any academic community. This is because people who are employed to work in various positions should have cognate work experience and unquestionable competence. They should not be seen as certificate welding illiterates but people who have been proven to be worthy in learning and character, diligent and competent to carry out assigned responsibilities with minimal or no supervision.

The university as a citadel of learning should boast of men of integrity, people who are repositories of applied knowledge and competence to drive the much desired holistic development in a nation that functions on quality teaching and learning. A situation where a student having gone through the crucibles of learning and written a prescribed semester examination or class-based evaluation test, is told that his or her script is missing or that he or she did not participate in that academic exercise, or must sort to pass, is an unpardonable error and a height of callousness. In fact some lecturers and staff of Departments are using the seeming systemic defect (which is their architecture) as an opportunity to extort students. Sometimes it is discovered much to students chagrin that the supposed missing script was later discovered when a ransom was paid.

Since a lecturer, or Head of Department has in their disposal both Yam and the knife and determines who takes what (if they wish to give without strings), students have no alternative but to submit to their importunate demands in order to graduate at record time.Such practices should be unheard of in an institution that should be a vanguard of moral and ethical values and conduct. What people learn in school constitute their behavioural patterns in the society. Where the school as an agency of socialisation cannot drive positive change first in its immediate environment, then the objective of education as a bedrock for the development of society, is inevitably compromised and counter-productive. The German Reformer, Dr. Martins Luther was quoted as saying, “I advise parents not to put their wards or children in any school where the Bible is not being used as a rule of life because such institutions will unnecessarily be corrupt”.

Gleaning from Luther’s sentiment one can deduce that the lack of respect and regard for values as well as the absence of the fear of God is the greatest undoing of most public schools. Another major challenge is that lack of Information, Communication and Technology literacy or compliance on the part of some lecturers and heads of department, may have informed the decision to give students’ scripts to secretaries to compile and input students results thereby making the secretaries the determinants of students’ fate. It is not saying a new thing that some of the secretaries in the process of compiling results have inputted wrong results, omitted names or down graded some students or given unmerited grades to others.Society today is ICT-driven and ICT-literacy enhances efficiency, speed and a reasonable degree of accuracy if the person behind the computer is level headed, articulate, competent, alive to responsibilities and is aware that negligence on his or her part is not only tantamount to a disservice to the university but to the students who may not graduate at record time because of his or her (computer operator’s) gross ineptitude or carelessness.

The ICT era makes the carrying of hard copy of results obsolete as lecturers through the Heads of Department can log on to the central server of the Exams and Records (if any) or ICT unit and input students’ results directly. By so doing the incessant cases where result on spread sheet is different from the one published online, more often than not, caused by abject negligence, will be avoided. The process will also end the intermediary services of some staff in the universities’ Information, Communication and Technology Department which has become a money spinner-a lucrative source of income to many of them. In fact some ICT staff reserved the power to award grades to students depending on students’ degree of compliance to terms and conditions. They can dubiously make or unmake a student. The university community should be considered too lofty to have careless, negligent, immoral and academic or professionally deficient people as academic or non-academic staff.

The Governing Councils and Senates of universities should be proactive in addressing the menace of missing Script, inputting of wrong results and sorting. This is necessary to end the slogan “Education is scam” so the system can produce quality students who are truly found worthy in learning and in character by operators who exemplify diligence, moral and ethical values. The much-needed reform must begin within the institutions themselves, because the future of any society is shaped in its classrooms.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

Strength of Emotional Equality

Published

4 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Love thrives not when one gives more, but when both give fully — not in competition, not in performance, but in partnership.”

In every healthy relationship, there exists an invisible balance. It is not measured in grand gestures, expensive gifts, or public displays of affection. It is measured in something quieter and far more significant: emotional equality. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, love becomes less of a negotiation and more of a partnership. Emotional equality does not mean both individuals express love in identical ways. It does not require matching personalities or mirroring temperaments. Rather, it speaks to balance — a shared willingness to invest, to communicate, to be vulnerable, and to grow. It is the difference between two people walking side by side and one person constantly trying to catch up.

In many relationships, imbalance begins subtly. One partner initiates most conversations. One apologizes more frequently. One carries the emotional labor — remembering important dates, managing conflicts, sensing tension, and attempting reconciliation. Over time, this uneven distribution of emotional effort breeds exhaustion. The partner who gives more begins to feel unseen. The one who gives less may grow comfortable in emotional passivity. Love, in such a space, starts to tilt — slowly at first, then significantly. Resentment can creep in quietly, disguising itself as patience. Silence may replace honest dialogue. What once felt effortless begins to feel heavy.

When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, responsibility is shared. Both people are accountable for the health of the relationship. If conflict arises, neither hides behind silence nor dominates through control. Instead, they engage. They listen. They speak honestly without weaponizing words. Equality creates safety — and safety strengthens intimacy. It allows both individuals to express needs without fear of ridicule or rejection. One of the most overlooked aspects of emotional equality is vulnerability. True connection requires courage. It demands that both partners risk being misunderstood. But when vulnerability is one-sided, it becomes exposure rather than intimacy. If one person consistently opens up while the other remains guarded, trust cannot fully deepen.

Equality ensures that emotional risks are mutual. Where one shares fears, the other shares too. Where one admits weakness, the other responds with openness rather than judgment. In such a space, authenticity flourishes. Another crucial element is validation. In emotionally balanced relationships, both partners feel heard. Their concerns are not dismissed as “overreactions.” Their feelings are not minimized or compared. When couples operate on equal emotional ground, they acknowledge each other’s experiences as legitimate. They may not always agree, but they always respect. Validation does not mean surrendering one’s viewpoint; it means recognizing that another’s emotional reality matters.

Equality also protects individuality. Contrary to popular belief, healthy love does not erase personal identity — it enhances it. When both partners are emotionally secure, they do not feel threatened by each other’s independence. Personal ambitions are encouraged, not resented. Friendships are respected, not restricted. Growth is celebrated, not feared. Standing on equal emotional grounds means neither person shrinks to accommodate the other. Instead, both expand, knowing the relationship is strong enough to hold their evolution. Power dynamics often expose emotional inequality. When one partner controls communication — appearing and disappearing unpredictably, withholding affection, or using silence as leverage — imbalance emerges.

Emotional dominance weakens intimacy. It creates anxiety instead of assurance. But when couples share emotional power, there is consistency. There is clarity. There is no need to decode affection because it is offered freely and intentionally. It is important to understand that equality does not imply perfection. Couples will still disagree. They will face stress, miscommunication, and moments of frustration. However, when emotional footing is equal, conflict does not threaten the foundation. Instead, it becomes an opportunity for understanding. Both partners approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. They choose resolution over ego and repair over pride.

Time often reveals whether emotional equality truly exists. In the early stages of love, intensity can disguise imbalance. Enthusiasm feels mutual. Effort appears equal. But as routine settles in and novelty fades, the structure of the relationship becomes clearer. Who still initiates? Who still invests? Who still shows up consistently? Sustainable love requires sustained balance. It is built not merely on attraction, but on deliberate reciprocity. Standing on equal emotional grounds requires intentionality. It demands honest conversations about needs and expectations. It requires both partners to examine their habits — whether they withdraw during tension, avoid accountability, or rely on the other to carry the emotional weight. Emotional maturity is not about avoiding conflict; it is about handling it responsibly and returning, again and again, to shared ground.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of emotional equality is peace. There is no constant anxiety about where one stands. No guessing games about commitment. No fear that affection may suddenly disappear. Instead, there is stability. There is reassurance. There is mutual effort. In a world where relationships often blur the lines between attention and commitment, equality offers clarity. It reminds us that love should not feel like competition or performance. It should feel like partnership. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, they build something resilient. They build trust that does not fracture easily. They build respect that does not depend on mood. They build a connection rooted not only in passion but in balance. And in that balance, love finds its strength — not in who gives more, but in how both give fully.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

NDDC: Time To Illuminate Homes

Published

2 weeks ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Twenty-five years on, the Niger Delta cannot celebrate illuminated streets while families sit in darkness. Development must begin inside the home — where children study, businesses grow, and lives are built — before it glows on the roadside.”

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 with a clear and urgent mandate: to facilitate the rapid, even, and sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region. The creation of the Commission followed decades of agitation over environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and socio-economic marginalization in the region. Its core mandate included the development of roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health facilities, education, housing, environmental remediation, and economic empowerment initiatives. At inception, expectations were high that the Commission would transform the Niger Delta into a model of regional development. Over the years, the NDDC has indeed implemented numerous projects across the nine Niger Delta states. Roads have been constructed and rehabilitated in several communities, easing transportation challenges.

Schools have been renovated, and new classroom blocks have been provided in underserved areas. Health centres have been built or upgraded, improving access to primary healthcare services. The Commission has also awarded scholarships to students, including foreign postgraduate scholarships, empowering thousands of youths academically.Skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes have helped many young people gain vocational competencies.Through various interventions, the NDDC has contributed to job creation and local economic stimulation.Solar-powered street lighting projects have been widely implemented in urban and semi-urban communities. These streetlights have improved visibility at night and contributed to enhanced security in some areas. Markets, highways, and public spaces illuminated by solar lights have experienced extended business hours.

For these efforts, the Commission deserves acknowledgment and commendation. However, development must always align with foundational mandates and pressing grassroots realities. A growing concern among residents is that while streets are illuminated, many homes remain in darkness. Rural electrification and household power access remain inconsistent and inadequate across large parts of the region. In riverine and remote communities, families still rely on generators, kerosene lamps, or complete darkness after sunset. The irony of brightly lit streets juxtaposed with powerless homes cannot be ignored. Electricity at the household level directly impacts education, health, and small-scale enterprise. Students cannot effectively study at night without reliable indoor lighting.Families cannot preserve food or power essential appliances without stable electricity.

Micro and small businesses struggle to grow without dependable energy access. While street lighting enhances public aesthetics and security, it does not substitute for domestic electrification. The proverb “charity begins at home” is especially relevant in this context. True community development must first empower households before beautifying public spaces. The Commission’s original mandate emphasizes integrated and sustainable development, not isolated infrastructural gestures. Balanced development requires that energy interventions prioritize homes alongside streets. Solar technology presents a unique opportunity for decentralized household electrification in off-grid communities. Extending solar solutions to individual homes would have a transformative social impact. Home-based solar systems could power lights, fans, small appliances, and communication devices.

Such interventions would reduce poverty, improve living standards, and stimulate grassroots productivity. By broadening its energy focus, the Commission would better reflect the spirit of its founding legislation. This is not a call to abandon street lighting projects, which have their merits. Rather, it is an appeal for balance, inclusivity, and alignment with core developmental objectives. Strategic planning should ensure that rural electrification and household access form a central pillar of ongoing interventions. Community engagement and needs assessments can help determine priority areas for household solar deployment. Twenty-five years after its establishment, the NDDC stands at a reflective moment in its institutional journey. The people of the Niger Delta say: thank you for the efforts so far—but not very much—because true appreciation will come when development begins at home and radiates outward, not merely when streets shine while houses remain in darkness.

By: King Onunwor